Posted by Allanfan20:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03242009/sports/knicks/near_stroke_cant_stop_this_legend_161057.htm

NEAR STROKE CAN'T STOP BERNARD KING

By MARK HALE

Three months ago, Bernard King fell down 17 stairs, cracked his head open and nearly died. Saturday night in Atlanta, he ended up in the hospital after barely being able to finish a walk home.

It has been a brutal last few months for King, the 52-year-old former Knick who was honored during the Garden's Legend Awards last night at halftime of the Knicks' 106-102 loss to the Magic.

Saturday night, King suffered what he called a "precursor to a stroke," and he said yesterday that if he hadn't called an ambulance to get him to the hospital, he "probably wouldn't be here."

King's stroke "precursor" occurred after he had walked a mile and a half, then sat down for 20 minutes before starting his journey back home. But he said he was able to walk only 10 steps at a time, then had to take a two-minute rest. He repeated that pattern the entire walk home.

"I finally got home and realized I was in trouble and called for an ambulance," said King, who works in energy management. As a result of the hospital stay and a visit with a cardiologist yesterday morning, King learned he has high blood pressure and is now on medication.

The fall down the stairs, which cracked King's head open, may have been an earlier manifestation of the same problem.

"I made it through that [fall]. I probably shouldn't have, but I did," King said. "And so I started getting the same symptoms again [this weekend] and really couldn't walk or just basically collapsed and called an ambulance."

Despite his health scares, King made it to the Legends ceremony. The Knicks honored six players, one representing each of the team's six decades, and King was the representative of the 1980s. They also presented a Legacy Award to former Knicks player and coach Dick McGuire. The other Legends were: the ailing Carl Braun (1940s), who was represented by his daughter; Richie Guerin (1950s); Willis Reed (1960s); Walt Frazier (1970s), and Patrick Ewing (1990s).

An honoree representing the 2000s will be chosen next year.
Before the ceremony, Frazier, who wore a Clyde-esque leather jacket and leather pants, said Knicks history is "not celebrated enough around here." He said it was worse years ago "because [former coach Pat] Riley didn't want it. He didn't want anything."

Knicks president Donnie Walsh agreed with Frazier about the team's history being neglected.

"I think it got lost," Walsh said. "I just felt it's important to recognize the past traditions and its history and excellence. . . . This is the beginning of it."

As evidence, Walsh said the Garden's renovation, scheduled for 2010, will include things to recognize the past and said other numbers, such as Guerin's "9," Braun's "4" and Allan Houston's "20," could also be retired.

that will be the rep for the 2000's.....

Posted by Panos:

Of course they'll retire Allan Houston's number. He holhds the records for biggest albatross contract awarded by the franchise, so that the league created a loophole for them to get out of it.

Posted by EnySpree:

Posted by Panos:

Of course they'll retire Allan Houston's number. He holhds the records for biggest albatross contract awarded by the franchise, so that the league created a loophole for them to get out of it.

Allan Houston had one good run in the 1999 playoffs. Other times he was scared to shoot....then he had those 2 50 pt games for those losing teams and finally scoring over 20 a game on those same losing seasons.

Bottom line man if they retire Houston's jersey, they need to do the same for Starks who's the leader in 3pt field goals(correct me if I'm wrong)...and oakley who I believe is in the top 5 in rebounding! Bernard made a nba first team and lead the league in scoring. He also owns the highest scoring game as a Knick with 60!!!

What makes Houston so special??? The shot? How bout Starks went to the finals on one knee and even though he did have a terrible shooting game 7....there wouldn't even be a game 7 without Starks shooting the lights out the whole series.